Tuesday, June 3, 2014

My Love Affair with Plants

I should preface this by letting you know that until very recently, I have had little to no interest in gardening or houseplants, and that I have had a terrible track record for keeping them alive. I grew up with a mother who loves gardening beyond description, and we ate slept and breathed all things plant. I found it to be incredibly boring. Over the course of my adult years, I'd occasionally get a houseplant or two, only to watch them slowly die. I just didn't get it.

Then, a few years ago, I impulse bought a basil seed kit in the Target dollar bin. As I saw it sprout in its tiny plastic pot, all green and fresh and new, something changed inside of me. Suddenly I wanted to grow food in containers on our deck and fill my home with all the pretty plants and flowers. Visiting nurseries on the weekends became one of my favorite activities (as those of you who follow me on Instagram are probably well aware). Repotting and transplanting became my meditation.

I don't know if it was watching that basil grow from a seed, or a realization that plants are a defining part what makes me feel so alive during the spring and summer, or just some hidden joy deep within my psyche that finally emerged. But I quickly developed a mild obsession with plants that has only gotten stronger with time. And I'm of the mindset that the term 'obsession' is both overused and often used incorrectly, so I don't use it unless I am truly captivated by something. I'm writing an entire freaking blog post about plants, so I think it's clear how much I like them these days.

In addition to my affinity for real life plants, I have also developed a fondness for looking at beautiful plant pictures online. I even have an entire board devoted to them on Pinterest. Looking at images of gorgeous plants, flowers, and gardens inspires me not only in my recently discovered botanical interest, but in all areas of design. Looking at them also just puts me in a good mood. So I thought I'd share some of my favorite plant images that I've come across online lately, in hopes that they'll inspire you as well. (Pssst... The succulents in the last image are actually made of felt. Pretty rad, right?)

Who else finds joy in all things plants? What kinds of plants and flowers are your current favorites?

15 comments:

I love plants. Flowers. Green things. I fill my house with them. And then within two weeks they're dead. No matter what I do. Then I get mad and say I'm never buying plants again. Then I buy plants again. And they just die again. It's a frustrating and sad cycle. I keep trying but to no avail. I've kind of come to the realization that I should just keep succulents and fresh cut flowers in my house. I'm wonderful with both of those. I can make fresh cut flowers last for weeks. I just have to have some living greens/blooms in my house.....I just need to work on keeping plants alive....

Plants do bring Nature's beauty into our homes and lives. Unfortunately I have not been blessed with a green thumb and must confess that I too have witness many an innocent houseplant wither and die under my care. Never knowing if I over tended or under tended, I eventually gave up trying to have an indoor garden.I do love the many photos you chose for your blog post and noticed that most of them were pretty succulents, which are extremely hardy plants requiring little water or constant tending. After viewing your photos I'm encouraged to try again, only this time I'll try a few pots of succulents. Hey if all else fails I can at least resort to the felt ones. That picture fooled me I thought they were the real thing! :)

I wish I was a good gardener. Unfortunately, I'm still in the stage of "I just don't get it," and even my two house plants suffer because I do forget to water them. Maybe I'll have that Aha! moment like you did. I do love looking at pretty gardens, flowers and plants, though. =0)

I never really had any interest in plants until we bought a house, mostly because the few plants that we bought or were given all our years in apartments quickly died. That probably should've been some kind of metaphor for us lol. But now in the house, I've found that I really do like having plants around. It adds some level of hominess or something and makes me happy. :)

I have an absolutely miserable track record with plants. I can somehow kill even those plants which are considered un-kill-able. The extent of the plants that enter my home, as a result, is generally limited to flowers from the nearby florist. But I love the idea of plants and maybe, just maybe, one day something will click for me the way it did for you :)xox,Cee

I <3 plants so much! I spend so much of my spring and summer outdoors with my garden and pond! I just recently turned an old bird bath into a succulent growing planter! I love all types of plants and luckily I have a green thumb! =)